(June 8, 2018) FAPA PRESIDENT URGES COSTCO TO HOLD THE LINE IN LIGHT OF RECENT CHINESE BULLYING OF FOREIGN COMPANIES有鑒於近來中國霸凌國際企業 台灣人公共事務會會長呼籲好市多堅持原則

FAPA PRESIDENT URGES COSTCO TO HOLD THE LINE IN LIGHT OF RECENT CHINESE BULLYING OF FOREIGN COMPANIES

In a letter dated June 8, 2018, FAPA President Mike Kuo urges COSTCO to “hold the line” in light of recent Chinese bullying of foreign companies.

Dr. Kuo writes: “We are grateful that COSTCO moved Taiwan from the province options to the country options in its online job application section of the COSTCO website upon our request in April 2016. In a letter dated April 4, 2016, you wrote us: “The oversight will be corrected….As you probably know, we have retail locations in Taiwan and very much consider it a country…”

Dr. Kuo adds: “We are thankful for this clear affirmation by COSTCO of the reality that Taiwan IS a country.”

After explaining why Taiwan IS a country, Dr. Kuo concludes: “China’s bullying of international companies is “Orwellian nonsense” indeed, where a politically closed system deploys its economic weight in the global free market to compel democratic countries to renounce their ideals of free expression and support for other democratic countries. I therefore urge COSTCO to continue present reality and logic in response to China’s irrational and unfounded claims over Taiwan.”

As the president of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), a grassroots organization that promotes freedom, human rights and democracy for the people of Taiwan, I write to you today to express our gratitude and support for COSTCO and to urge COSTCO to “hold the line” in light of recent Chinese bullying of foreign companies.

We are grateful that COSTCO moved Taiwan from the province options to the country options in its online job application section on the COSTCO website upon our request in April 2016. In a letter dated April 4, 2016, you wrote us: “The oversight will be corrected….As you probably know, we have retail locations in Taiwan and very much consider it a country…”

We are thankful for this clear affirmation by COSTCO of the reality that Taiwan IS a country. After all, Taiwan fulfills all conditions for statehood as laid down in the Montevideo conference of 1933: a territory, a population, a government that exercises effective control and has the capability to enter into relations with other countries.

Furthermore, if one plans to travel to China, one cannot apply for a visa to China at the Taiwanese embassy/consulate. If one plans to travel to Taiwan, one cannot apply for a visa to Taiwan at the Chinese embassy/consulate. These are simply two separate countries.

We feel emboldened by the remarks of White House Press Secretary Huckabee Sanders on May 5, 2018 stating that “[Chinese bullying of American carriers] is Orwellian nonsense and part of a growing trend by the Chinese Communist Party to impose its political views on American citizens and private companies.”

China’s bullying of international companies is “Orwellian nonsense” indeed, where a politically closed system deploys its economic weight in the global free market to compel democratic countries to renounce their ideals of free expression and support for other democratic countries.

I therefore urge COSTCO to continue present reality and logic in response to China’s irrational and unfounded claims over Taiwan.

Again, we stand by you and your esteemed company, Mr. Jelinek. Thank you for your support for Taiwan!

Cordially yours,

MIKE KUO, President
Formosan Association for Public Affairs

(June 8, 2018) FAPA PRESIDENT URGES COSTCO TO HOLD THE LINE IN LIGHT OF RECENT CHINESE BULLYING OF FOREIGN COMPANIES有鑒於近來中國霸凌國際企業 台灣人公共事務會會長呼籲好市多堅持原則